HIV-AIDS awareness forum targets youth - 2

Fellizar said young Filipinos have a high awareness of HIV and AIDS, but points out that this knowledge needs to be translated into actual practice or life skills to help prevent the spread of HIV.
“There's a need to continue this awareness and be able to influence their decisions in life,” she added.

She cited “signs” in the country's AIDS registry which reflect a rising trend in the incidence of HIV infections each month.

Fellizar explained that though the country has a relatively low AIDS prevalence, the cases have tripled each month since 2005.

“What is important now is that people realize that young people and children can be also part of the solutions through ethical and meaningful discussions such as this,” the advocate added.
For his part, 22-year-old Andrei Ceballos of the Kabataang Gabay sa Positibong Pamumuhay believes young adults like him are not worthless when it comes to sensitive issues like AIDS.
He said the older generation tends to see the youth as such because of the image of some school drop outs, young people hooked on drugs, and teenage pregnancies.

“I know some people think that the youth are no longer the hope of the nation, but there are some things we can do to help,” Ceballos said.

He cited a certain project in Iloilo where young people hold a radio program to discuss topics such as rape, violence against women, HIV and AIDS and how these affect their age bracket.“We want to change the way others view us young people...That we are not sleeping on this issue,” Ceballos added in Filipino.